Home » Scripture Discussion » The Book of Mormon » Jacob 5 (Discussion of the Parable of the Olive Vineyard)
| Jacob 5 [message #152] |
Sun, 22 August 2010 07:35  |
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Dragon
Messages: 499
Registered: June 2010
Location: Earth
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Senior Member |
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Recently we reread through Jacob 5. I find it interesting how new insights can bring new interpretations to parables I have known for years. This time I took note that the three tame branches planted in other parts of the vineyard were hidden from the servant (or prophet of the church) for a long time. They had to develop their own roots, indicative of forming their own church, without connection to the mother tree.
It seems clear the third tame branch represents the people of Lehi. Half the tree was wild and half tame, with the wild half choking out the tame half and being placed in the best part of the vineyard. Who do the other two branches represent? They were placed in some of the worst parts of the vineyard, and yet brought forth much fruit. Where are they? Where is the record of their journeys and joy in the Lord?
- Dragon
- Dragon
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| Re: Jacob 5 [message #795 is a reply to message #152] |
Wed, 01 August 2012 07:09  |
marc
Messages: 20
Registered: July 2012
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Junior Member |
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I love this allegory! I've spent a considerable amount of time studying it and am not done yet. I've shared some of my studies on another forum and thought I'd share here. Verse 25 is where we read about the Nephites and Lamanites being a branch that was planted in a good spot of ground. I tied it all in with receiving heavenly gifts and this allegory, coupled with Enos' experience with might prayer shed light on why the Lamanites were spared and given a second chance:
The Heavenly Gift
Mental notes that I've been meaning to write down from more recent personal studies; thought I'd share here. These are some scriptures and the insight I have gained to connect them.
Hebrews 6:4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost...
4 Nephi 1:3 And they had all things common among them; therefore there were not rich and poor, bond and free, but they were all made free, and partakers of the heavenly gift.
3 Nephi 28:1 And it came to pass when Jesus had said these words, he spake unto his disciples, one by one, saying unto them: What is it that ye desire of me, after that I am gone to the Father?
Enos 1:18 And the Lord said unto me: Thy fathers have also required of me this thing; and it shall be done unto them according to their faith; for their faith was like unto thine.
Just a quick note to add that I believe that Enos' calling and election was sure, that he had received the Second Comforter (although he didn't have enough room on the plates to share all of his revelations, etc) and when he was asked what he desired for a gift, it was basically the same as what Jacob and Lehi desired, as well as Nephi. This brings me to a key scripture in Jacob 5 regarding the allegory of the tame and wild olive trees.
49 And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard said unto the servant: Let us go to and hew down the trees of the vineyard and cast them into the fire, that they shall not cumber the ground of my vineyard, for I have done all. What could I have done more for my vineyard?
50 But, behold, the servant said unto the Lord of the vineyard: Spare it a little longer.
51 And the Lord said: Yea, I will spare it a little longer, for it grieveth me that I should lose the trees of my vineyard.
There are times when the Lord sees that his vineyard is completely worthless and ready for the axe/fire. In His mercy, he may allow His servant to intercede. Moses was such an example of the servant of the vineyard:
11 ¶And the Lord said unto Moses, How long will this people provoke me? and how long will it be ere they believe me, for all the signs which I have shewed among them?
12 I will smite them with the pestilence, and disinherit them, and will make of thee a greater nation and mightier than they.
13 ¶And Moses said unto the Lord, Then the Egyptians shall hear it, (for thou broughtest up this people in thy might from among them;)
14 And they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land: for they have heard that thou Lord art among this people, that thou Lord art seen face to face, and that thy cloud standeth over them, and that thou goest before them, by day time in a pillar of a cloud, and in a pillar of fire by night.
15 ¶Now if thou shalt kill all this people as one man, then the nations which have heard the fame of thee will speak, saying,
16 Because the Lord was not able to bring this people into the land which he sware unto them, therefore he hath slain them in the wilderness.
17 And now, I beseech thee, let the power of my Lord be great, according as thou hast spoken, saying,
18 The Lord is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation.
19 Pardon, I beseech thee, the iniquity of this people according unto the greatness of thy mercy, and as thou hast forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.
20 And the Lord said, I have pardoned according to thy word
In Zenos' allegory, we clearly see that a small part clearly refers to the Nephite/Lamanite nation. Lehi was keenly aware of this and there is no doubt in my mind that he impressed upon his sons the fact that his family was making history and that this small band, making their way out of Jerusalem was fulfilling prophecy! This was also near and dear to Jacob's heart and we see him expound much in 2 Nephi chapters 6-10.
Back to the allegory that Jacob included in his record. The following verse clearly indicates the fruit of Lehi's loins:
25 And he said unto the servant: Look hither and behold the last**. Behold, this have I planted in a good spot of ground; and I have nourished it this long time, and only a part of the tree hath brought forth tame fruit, and the other part of the tree hath brought forth wild fruit; behold, I have nourished this tree like unto the others.
Obviously the tame and wild fruits refer to the Nephites and the Lamanites. Lehi and Jacob knew well their part in history and I strongly believe the gift they desired of Jesus Christ, a gift that only those who receive the Second Comforter, that heavenly visitor before He returns to the Father, is to spare their descendants that they do not utterly perish. This also became Enos' charitable desire. Remember that faith, hope and charity go hand it hand. We cannot see Chirst unless we become like Him and charity encompasses qualities that meet this requirement. Enos exemplified charity in his humble request. And so Jesus Christ grants Enos this gift as He also granted it to Jacob and Lehi.
**63 Graft in the branches; begin at the last that they may be first, and that the first may be last, and dig about the trees, both old and young, the first and the last; and the last and the first, that all may be nourished once again for the last time.
And so the gathering of Israel begins with the Lamanites, bringing us to our day, the latter days.
D&C 49:24 But before the great day of the Lord shall come, Jacob shall flourish in the wilderness, and the Lamanites shall blossom as the rose.
Two servants in the vineyard in different dispensations are granted their desires to "spare it a little longer."
There are many instances in history where men were given their heavenly gifts. As brother Pontius points out in his essay, "Seek the face of the Lord":
Quote:This is the pattern of all visitations. This pattern has repeated itself in every visitation recorded in scripture. Adam, and his generations obviously asked to live long upon the earth. Enoch asked for translation. Noah asked that his family be saved from the floods. Melchizedek (who was probably Noah's son, Seth) asked for two things, to be translated, and to have the privilege of bestowing the priesthood outside of his family line. Thus, the priesthood became "Melchizedek" rather than patriarchal. Abraham asked for blessings upon his posterity. Moses asked for translation. Samson asked for strength. Solomon asked for wisdom. The Brother of Jared among other things asked for sixteen stones to be lighted. Lehi asked for deliverance for his family. Nephi asked to see the same things his father had seen, and that the record he wrote would be the means of salvation to his distant posterity. The nine Nephite Disciples asked to skip the spirit world and go speedily into Heaven. The Nephite three asked for the greater blessing of
translation.
From his blog, one of his replies to a question:
Quote:Each of these events, Calling and Election, Second Annointing and Second Comforter are separate blessings. They each have their purpose and occur in their proper order. I do cover this in TTOZ, but I don't discuss the Second Annointing.
Here it is in a nutshell:
C&E = a private voice-only acknowledgment by the Father that our Election to the Celestial Kingdom is made sure.
SA = A temple ceremony initiated by the Prophet or his appointed, to conduct a ceremony which includes further priesthood blessings for men and women, and includes the Washing of Feet. This ordinance must be ratified by the Holy Spirit of Promise like all other ordinances, and may or may not lead to greater things depending upon the worthiness of the participants. It does not include a personal appearance of Christ. It is generally reserved for long-time and high-profile church leaders, such as mission presidents, 70′s and other GA's. It is NOT essential to exaltation, and can occur outside of the temple by a personal appearance of Christ, or may not occur at all.
2nd Comforter = A personal appearance of Christ, generally outside of the temple, where we view the great "Vision of All" and are shown our role in that vision. We also receive our calling to whatever we are called to do from there on. Before Christ leaves, He asks if there is a gift we would like after He returns to the Father. This gift is our actual "endowment." This is the moment when we may ask to be translated, if it is apropriate, and our heart's desire. Most people ask for something other than translation.-- https://unblogmysoul.wordpress.com/2011/08/12/the-path-of-the-ancients/
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| Re: Jacob 5 [message #2658 is a reply to message #152] |
Sun, 11 August 2013 22:32 |
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Elejian
Messages: 39
Registered: June 2013
Location: United States
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Member |
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Since there are multiple levels of symbolism, I enjoy studying it on a "mental-spiritual" level. On this level, the vineyard represents our mind.
This allegory discusses interactions between static, established perceptions in our memory and new, dynamic perceptions. To summarize briefly, there are a couple of things to beware. Too many static perceptions can stagnate and decay over time (Jacob 5:3). Too many dynamic perceptions can cause corrupted perceptions over time (Jacob 5:48).
The solution is to maintain the right balance between the two types (Jacob 5:65-6). Since these perceptions can be grafted back and forth amongst each other, there should not be a great distinction between the two types of perceptions. Studying and pondering established gospel doctrine can solidify static perceptions, and can lead to revelation as dynamic perceptions. Spiritual experiences can foster the reception of dynamic perceptions, which can then be recorded and remembered as static perceptions.
To use a non-LDS quote: "Life can't exist on Dynamic Quality alone. It has no staying power. To cling to Dynamic Quality alone apart from any static patterns is to cling to chaos. . . . A Dynamic advance is meaningless unless it can find some static pattern with which to protect itself from degeneration back to the conditions that existed before the advance was made. Evolution can't be a continuous forward movement. It must be a process of ratchetlike steps in which there is a Dynamic movement forward up some new incline and then, if the result looks successful, a static latching-on of the gain that has been made; then another Dynamic advance, then another static latch. . . . Without Dynamic Quality the organism cannot grow. Without static quality the organism cannot last. Both are needed" (Robert M. Pirsig, Lila: An Inquiry into Morals, 139, 169-70).
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